As for Verlander, check his August and September numbers for his first full year in Detroit's rotation. That was 2006. I think you'll see he had some struggles as a young pitcher, much like a couple young pitchers in the Sox rotation this year. It takes a little time to build up the kind of arm strength where a pitcher can handle a 200-plus innings haul. He's at a much different place in his career than say, Chris Sale.

Verlander is also just a freak of nature. He's just the best pitcher in baseball right now, that's all you can say about it. It'd be like complaining why Viciedo can't be more like Frank Thomas; the Big Hurt, in his prime, was probably the best right handed hitter in baseball history. You can't set the bar at that level, no one will ever measure up.